3. The tendency of this life infused is to be considered by us, which is to God and heaven. Converting grace draweth and bendeth the soul to its end and rest, that we may grow more divine and heavenly ; for you are so far sanctified as you are divine and heavenly.
[1.] Divine : 2 Peter i. 4, ' Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature.' So that we are or should be still growing, breath- ing, and reaching forth after God, seeking after him, longing to be with him, to be rid of sin, to see his blessed face, and to live in his perfect love, praising him to all eternity. As the seed is working through the dry clods, so doth this principle of grace ; it tendeth toward God, that it may have more enjoyment of God in conformity to him, and be more perfectly subject to him, and never grieve him nor dishonour him more. In the world there is not sufficient to answer the desires and expecta-
VER. 12.] SERMONS UPON PHILIPPIANS III. 87
tions of the new creature. Two things the heart looketh for as soon as it is changed by grace — perfect enjoyment of God, and perfect con- formity and subjection to him, that he may be with God, and free from sin. For this Paul groans : Rom. viii. 23, ' Even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our bodies/
[2.] Heavenly ; that we may live in heaven above the earth, and our hearts may be above with God as our happiness. The heart is suited to that exceeding glory promised us in the gospel, that we may affect it, care for it, fix it as our scope and home, travel toward it with all zeal and diligence. Well, then, if the first grace do in some measure incline us to seek this happiness with God above as our treasure, hope, and home, as the chief matter of our desires and joys, then we are appre- hended by Christ ; for none but illuminated souls can discern this glory, none but the sanctified soul is inclined to it: Col. iii. 1-3, 'If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God. Set your affections on things above, not on things of the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God ; ' 2 Cor. i. 12, ' For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world.'
4. Christ having apprehended us, still keepeth us in his own hands, find will not fail us, but stand by us in the race in which he hath set us ; for that we have from him beginning and progress. He is the author and finisher of our faith ; having laid hold upon us by convert- ing grace, he still upholdeth us by his confirming grace ; and having begun life, maintaineth it by a constant influence. His divine manu- tenency is often spoken of in scripture ; so that besides our care, and watchfulness, and incessant labour, we receive a new life, vigour, and assistance from Christ.
Use. Is to press us to answer Christ's apprehension of us by an exact, resolved, diligent pursuit of eternal life, that only will declare that we are apprehended by Christ, that we may be guided by him to the land of promise.
I shall give you two motives —
1. Think often of our great obligation to Christ for the great love he hath showed us in our calling and conversion ; that he apprehended you in your sins, called you with a holy calling, gave you some taste of his graciousness in the pardoning of your sins, acquainted you with his great and distinguishing love. And is this to be answered with a cold obedience ? Christ snatched you from the furnace of hell as brands plucked out of the burning ; you have just cause to bless God to all eternity for making you new creatures, living members of Christ. But wherefore did he make you new creatures, but that at length he might perfect the work begun ?
2. Consider how Christ is interested in your preservation. He had his race and his agonies : Heb. xii. 1,2,' Let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith ; who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despised the shame, and is now at the right hand of the throne of God.'
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The 'joy before him ' was principally eternal glory, for which end he apprehended us. That is not all ; we are his crown, his joy, a church of holy believers: Isa. liii. 10, 11, 'When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied : by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities.' A numerous seed, these are called his ' purchased possession,' Eph. i. 14. He had this in his eye as his crown and the reward of his sufferings : Ps. ii. 3, ' Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheri- tance, and the utmost parts of the earth for thy possession ; ' given him as a recompense of his humiliation.